Displaced from Mosul

5 July 2017, New York, USA | South-South News — As the battle in Mosul, Iraq, draws to its end, families displaced by fighting arrive in small numbers at Salamiyah 2 camp, south east of the city.

Four buses carrying 40 families arrived recently in Salamiyah 2 camp, which can host up to 60,000 people and is now almost full. The camp has been built by UNHCR – the UN High Commissioner for Refugees - and new sections are being constructed in the event of more arrivals.

Many families say they witnessed shelling and destruction as they tried to flee their homes.

Sattar Hussein Freih fled his village of Nawfali, south of Sinjar. With very little food and water, Sattar and his family had to walk for 25 days as they moved from one area to another before they found safety at the camp. After being registered and security screened, Sattar and other families received blankets, mattresses, hygiene kits and solar lamps provided by UNHCR.
Relieved to have finally found safety, families here still hope to return to their villages soon as the battle for the city nears end.

Iraqi authorities say that more than three quarters of a million Iraqis have been forced to flee Mosul since military operations started in October.